Golden Days
by Jubileyn
Summary: HG. No mistletoe or meddling friends. Just a girl, a boy, and a fireplace.


Disclaimer: No.

A/N: It's snowing outside, huzzah! What better inspiration could I possibly need? This is a companion piece for _Holiday Hitches_, for all of those curious minds who were wondering what went down with Harry and Ginny while Ron and Hermione were out in the cold.

Yeah, I got the title from _Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas_. So do, won't you?

**Golden Days**

Harry did not mind being left with Luna, finding her an easy companion, even easier than Ron. Well, at the moment anyway. Ron was troubled lately and Harry understood how an irate Hermione could be considered a real trial. Luna was more cheerful at any rate.

"So you've been talking about Ron, have you?" asked Harry awkwardly, unsure of how to begin the conversation.

Luna blinked slowly, staring out at Hogsmeade with such wonder, an innocent bystander might assume she had never been there before. "Yes," she said brightly, startling Harry a bit with the sudden response. "Ginny is very upset with him, as he is apparently clueless."

Harry laughed shortly, finding the label a perfect match, yet uncomfortable with laughing at Ron, even if he wasn't around to notice. Harry's eyes naturally drifted to were the siblings were standing, in secret conference it seemed.

"Actually," Luna went on, her gaze lifting to the faery lights, "I think she only brought him up to distract me from _The Quibbler_. But she's a very nice girl." Luna's candor was appropriate this time, but as Harry's staring at the younger of the pair became more pronounced, he flushed a bit at the new topic.

"Yes, quite," he said simply, the phrase not seeming to do her any justice at all. But Harry left it at that, lest he botch something up and make a fool of himself, a thing he was sure to do if he continued.

"She was agonizing before over what to get you for Christmas," she said lightly in her sweetly frivolous way, not noticing the renewed anxiety of her companion. Harry could only think of one thing that could have made this worse.

"Agonizing is a bit strong, isn't it?" Generally, Harry reflected, when one thinks too much about something that could make present conditions worse, that thing usually happens. Ginny had returned, a very fake smile plastered on her face. But thankfully, Harry was sometimes just as stupid as Ron, and could only detect a slight discomfort on her part.

Luna looked doubtful. "I don't know, Ginny, you sounded awfully—"

"Darling, isn't she?" Ginny said smoothly, the smile becoming less strained, as her gloved hand shot out to cover Luna's mouth quite effectively. "Harry, Ron's waiting for you by Scrivenshaft's." She had moved in front of Luna completely.

"Uh, yeah. Thanks, Ginny."

"Don't mention it," she muttered to herself. "_Ever_."

Harry turned his back on the pair and sloshed off in the snow. "Bye, Harry!" Luna called, Ginny having released her quite suddenly.

He waved over his shoulder and watched them walk off, frazzled and confused. Catching up with Ron was easy. "Boy can she talk," Harry commented quietly, still unnerved. Ron grinned and gestured at the store. After Harry's initial speculation's were disproved (for the time being), they entered the heated shop.

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Ginny had been stewed over occasionally, but the week that followed was the most difficult to get through in Harry's remembrance. Yuletide cheer was great, but he found himself focused not on the holiday itself, but on the very pretty fifth year who was apparently fussing over what to give _him_ for Christmas.

He had bought her something of course, he'd gotten something for Ron and Hermione, too. Though, somehow buying things for Ginny felt much weirder than buying things for Hermione.

Perhaps it was silly modesty that made Harry question why anyone would worry about him, his happiness, and his well-being at all. Finding that someone really cared was always an embarrassing surprise. But it was _Ginny_. Harry had never expected to find something like that in her. There was the rare poignant moments he had shared with various members of the Weasley family—and sometimes all of them at once— particularly in fifth year, but what kind of person thought about others all the time? The best kind of person, he decided.

Harry's deeply pensive mood had not faded on Christmas Eve. He'd sat on his bed for the better part of an hour, before firmly choosing to dwell on it no longer, at least for the night. He trudged down the stairs in time to see Hermione pattering up the stairs opposite, unmistakably upset.

Amusement and concern for Hermione flooded him. Ron had probably gone and done something stupid again. "Merlin, what'd you _do_?" Harry asked incredulously, taking a seat on a sofa.

"Nothing. That's the problem," Ron sighed, as he sat down in one of the larger armchairs by the fireplace, looking more tired than he had when Harry had seen him last. This annoyed Harry. If he was so worn out by all the fighting, why didn't he just keep his mouth shut?

Harry did not want to start an argument with Ron, however. "Well, whatever 'nothing' is, I expect she'll be in a right state tomorrow. Nice job, Ron," He groaned, a bit melodramatically perhaps.

Ron was perfectly sincere. "No, really. I didn't do _anything_. Where's Ginny?" he asked quickly, almost as if his life depended on it. Which Harry realized from the screech the followed, it did, in fact.

"Ron Weasley, what the _hell_ did you do?!"

Harry's thoughts flew from his mind and stormed down the stairs, flushed in anger, eyes vengeful. "There's your answer," he replied pleasantly, taking care not to catch her eye.

"I didn't do anything!"

"Then why, pray tell, is Hermione up in the dorm with her curtains shut? The only words I got out of her were 'Leave me alone', 'Go away', 'I don't want to talk about it', and 'Ron'. Care to share?" Harry looked at Ron expectantly. Ginny really was a master at getting things out of people.

"I just told her she ought to take a break from all her homework, as _it's Christmas_. And she snapped at me. I asked her what was wrong and she looked like she was going to cry. Then she got sort of angry and left. That's _all_." Ron looked as upset as Ginny did now. But Harry was astonished, if not completely amused. This was a more trivial argument, thank Merlin. Stubbornness just had to wear down.

"Wow," he said, fighting a laugh. The two siblings stared flatly, confused as to what could have merited such a reaction. He continued, grinning, "You two can literally fight over _nothing_."

Ginny smiled grudgingly, and looked prepared to laugh as he was. "Honestly, Harry, it's not funny." Harry's stomach twisted under her eyes and they looked at each other for a moment. A flush fell over the two of them, but their eye contact never broke, and Harry discovered with repressed worry that he had actually begun to move closer to her and she to him. Ron missed this of course, his gaze in the direction of the fire.

"Ginny, could you take Hermione's bag up to her? She left it down here," Ron said, seemingly unaware of what he had interrupted.

Ginny stared at her brother in incomprehension for a moment, as if it was impossible for him to be so kind. Harry, of course, understood Ron's true excuse, being unable to do it himself and too cowardly besides. But she did not. "Of course I can." She disappeared the way she had come with Hermione's things, red hair lost in the shadow of the stairwell. His eyes followed her form, entranced.

Harry sighed, eyes falling to his hands, utterly relieved. Ron stared at him hard. Innocence was fruitless. So perhaps he wasn't as clueless as anyone believed. That was unhelpful. He continued to frown for a moment and then sighed as well, Harry relaxing for the time. "So..." Ron said, the look returning as swiftly as it had left.

"So?" Harry said nervously. Ron's expression turned a smile, this one genuine. Did that meant he approved or something? Ron nodded as if he had read Harry's thoughts. Harry shrugged noncommittally, not wanting to admit anything so... normal had happened to him, but he smiled, too.

Ron cocked his head and looked as if he wanted to say something, encouraging maybe, but didn't. Instead, he walked up the stairs himself, though in the opposite direction.

One Weasley was traded for the other, and Ginny traipsed back down the stairs, looking even more light-hearted than she had going up. She sat next to Harry, unabashed and shameless. More like her normal self. "I think they might actually work this ought between them," she said hopefully, hands clasped on her lap.

Harry smiled, feeling awkwardness fade some. It was hard to feel strange when she was smiling so warmly, looking so pleased. But that knot in his gut would not abate even a bit. "Let's hope," he said, laughing at what could possibly be the end of the longest game of beat-around-the-Flutterby-bush in the history of the world.

She laughed, too. "'Sides, it's Christmas. Sometimes that helps." She looked at him, expression surprisingly open, with her twinkling eyes and soft smile. Harry wanted to grab that smile and stuff it in his pocket, carry it with him forever. He defied anyone who refused to love such a smile.

"Yes," he said, his throat gone dry. He had started to shift again, eyes on her mouth. He wasn't flushing now, and neither was she. They had both inadvertently and separately decided that the time for embarrassment was past. Ginny knew that Harry knew. Harry knew that Ginny knew he knew. Only one thing left.

"Harry," she whispered, her voice quieter than ever. It sent a thrill down his spine, simply at the sound of his own name said with such ardor. A girl slipped past unnoticed and out the portrait hole, bundled up for the cold. Harry's arm slipped up over the back of the couch, his hand stopping to rest on her shoulder.

Ginny moved first, letting her mouth fall on his as she closed her eyes. His mind reeled at the contact, throat still burning though they broke apart seconds later. Harry watched Ginny, her eyes still closed like she was trying to remember where she was. She opened them, first one and then the other, looking at him as if she was delighted to find that he was not simply a dream and wouldn't fade back into her thoughts. Smiles passed between them, not the flimsy stuff of any previous encounter.

He pulled her closer, Ginny giving a soft oh! of surprise as her head fell to his shoulder. _This_ was how it was supposed to be. The common room became cozier, helped by the licking fire and the opening of two hearts to each other.

"So, _were_ you agonizing?" Harry asked suddenly, almost as soon as the thought overtook him.

"No!" she cried indignantly, catching Ron's attention for a moment as he passed the pair, leaving the room with some haste. Ginny giggled, hiding her mouth behind her hand. She shrugged innocently with that mischievous grin of hers. "Well, perhaps a little."

"Only a little."

"A very little?"

"Yes."

"How little is little, though, really?"

"H_arry_."

"No really, Ginny, I'm curious."

"Yes, I bet you are."

"I'm afraid you have to do better than that."

"Okay, so more than a little."

"Aha!"

"Well, don't sound so smug about it!"

The conversation ended abruptly, with laughs and little kisses, the kind that whispered softly, promising a beautiful year to come.

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This story was such a dream to write and reviews are loved and certainly hoped for. ;)

Best wishes for the happiest Christmas possible.

God bless,

Christen


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